Free Republic
Browse · Search
Religion
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Julie Billiart, 04-08-17
FranciscanMedia.org ^ | 04-08-17 | Fr. Don Miller, OFM

Posted on 04/08/2017 4:40:23 PM PDT by Salvation

Fr. Don Miller, OFM

Statue of Saint Julie Billiart | Saint Julie Billiart Catholic Church, Hamilton, OH | photo by NheyobImage: Statue of Saint Julie Billiart | Saint Julie Billiart Catholic Church, Hamilton, OH | photo by Nheyob

Saint Julie Billiart

Saint of the Day for April 8

(July 12, 1751 – April 8, 1816)

 

Saint Julie Billiart’s Story

Born in Cuvilly, France, into a family of well-to-do farmers, young Marie Rose Julie Billiart showed an early interest in religion and in helping the sick and poor. Though the first years of her life were relatively peaceful and uncomplicated, Julie had to take up manual work as a young teen when her family lost its money. However, she spent her spare time teaching catechism to young people and to the farm laborers.

A mysterious illness overtook her when she was about 30. Witnessing an attempt to wound or even kill her father, Julie was paralyzed and became a complete invalid. For the next two decades, she continued to teach catechism lessons from her bed, offered spiritual advice, and attracted visitors who had heard of her holiness.

When the French Revolution broke out in 1789, revolutionary forces became aware of her allegiance to fugitive priests. With the help of friends, she was smuggled out of Cuvilly in a haycart. She then spent several years hiding in Compiegne, being moved from house to house despite her growing physical pain. She even lost the power of speech for a time.

But this period also proved to be a fruitful spiritual time for Julie. It was at this time she had a vision in which she saw Calvary surrounded by women in religious habits and heard a voice saying, “Behold these spiritual daughters whom I give you in an institute marked by the cross.”

As time passed and Julie continued her mobile life, she made the acquaintance of an aristocratic woman, Françoise Blin de Bourdon, who shared Julie’s interest in teaching the faith. In 1803, the two women began the Institute of Notre Dame, which was dedicated to the education of the poor, young Christian girls, and the training of catechists. The following year, the first Sisters of Notre Dame made their vows. That was the same year that Julie recovered from the illness: She was able to walk for the first time in 22 years.

Though Julie had always been attentive to the special needs of the poor and that always remained her priority, she also became aware that other classes in society needed Christian instruction. From the founding of the Sisters of Notre Dame until her death, Julie was on the road, opening a variety of schools in France and Belgium that served the poor and the wealthy, vocational groups, teachers. Ultimately, Julie and Françoise moved the motherhouse to Namur, Belgium.

Julie died there in 1816. She was canonized in 1969.


Reflection

Julie’s immobility in no way impeded her activities. In spite of her suffering, she managed to co-found a teaching order that tended to the needs of both the poor and the well-to-do. Each of us has limitations, but the worst malady any of us can suffer is the spiritual paralysis that keeps us from doing God’s work on earth.


TOPICS: Apologetics; Catholic; History; Theology
KEYWORDS: catholic; lentenseries; saints
Feel free to post additional information about other saints who might share this feast day.
1 posted on 04/08/2017 4:40:23 PM PDT by Salvation
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: All
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Julie Billiart, 04-08-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint John Baptist de la Salle, 04-07-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Crescentia Hoess, 04-06-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Vincent Ferrer, 04-05-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Isidore of Seville, 04-04-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Benedict the African, 04-03-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Francis of Paola, 04-02-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Hugh of Grenoble, 04-01-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Stephen of Mar Saba, 03-31-17

Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Peter Regalado, 03-30-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Ludovico of Casoria, 03-29-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Catharine of Bologna, 03-28-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Lazarus, 03-27-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Catherine of Genoa, 03-26-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Annunciation of the Lord, 03-25-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Blessed Oscar Arnulfo Romero, 03-24-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Turibius of Mogrovejo, 03-23-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Nicholas Owen, 03-22-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Blessed John of Parma, 03-21-17

Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Salvator of Horta, 03-20-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Joseph, Husband of Mary, 03-19-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Cyril of Jerusalem, 03-18-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, St. Patrick, 03-17-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Clement Mary Hofbauer, 03-16-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Louise de Marillac, 03-15-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Maximilian, 03-14-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Leander of Seville, 03-13-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Blessed Angela Salawa, 03-12-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint John Ogilvie, 03-11-17

Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Dominic Savio, 03-10-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Frances of Rome, 03-09-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, St. John of God, 03-08-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saints Perpetua and Felicity, 03-07-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Mary Ann of Jesus of Paredes, 03-06-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint John Joseph of the Cross, 03-05-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Casimir, 03-04-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Katharine Drexel, 03-03-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, St. Agnes of Bohemia, 03-02-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, St. David of Wales, 03-01-17

2 posted on 04/08/2017 4:41:59 PM PDT by Salvation ("With God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: nickcarraway; NYer; ELS; Pyro7480; livius; ArrogantBustard; Catholicguy; RobbyS; marshmallow; ...

Saint of the Day Lenten Series Ping!


3 posted on 04/08/2017 4:43:31 PM PDT by Salvation ("With God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: All
Information: St. Julia Billiart

Feast Day: April 8

Born: 12 July 1751 at Cuvilly,France

Died: 8 April 1816 at Namur, Belgium

Canonized: 22 June 1969 by Pope Paul VI

Patron of: against poverty, bodily ills, impoverishment, poverty, sick people, sickness

4 posted on 04/08/2017 7:01:52 PM PDT by Salvation ("With God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: All

St. Julie Billiart

Feast Day: April 08
Born: 1751 :: Died: 1816

Mary Rose Julie Billiart was born in Belgium and was the sixth of seven children. Her parents Jean-Frangois Billiart and Marie-Louise-Antoinette Debraine were peasant farmers. Her uncle, the village school teacher, taught her to read and write.

Although she was not a very good student, she loved to study her catechism. In fact, when she was just seven, Julie knew her catechism by heart and would explain it to other little children. When her parents became poor, she worked hard to help support the family. She even went to harvest the crops. Yet she always found time to pray, to visit the sick, and to teach catechism.

When she was fourteen she decided she would not marry but give her life to God. Instead she spent her life serving and teaching the poor.

While she was still a young woman, she was sitting beside her father when some one shot at him. The shock made her very ill and completely paralyzed. Although helpless, St. Julie offered her prayers so that sinners would find eternal happiness with God. She was closer to God than ever and kept on teaching catechism from bed.

She was a very holy and people came to her for advice because she helped them grow closer to Jesus and practice their faith with more love. She encouraged everyone who came to her to receive Holy Communion often.

Many young women were inspired by Julie's love for God. They were willing to spend their time and money for good works. With Julie as their leader, they started the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur and were devoted to the Christian education of girls.

Once a priest gave a mission in the town where Julie was. He asked her to make a novena with him for an intention which was a secret. After five days, on the feast of the Sacred Heart, he said: "Mother, if you have faith, take one step in honor of the Sacred Heart of Jesus." Mother Billiart, who had been paralyzed for twenty-two years, stood up and was healed!

St. Julie spent the rest of her life looking after and training young women to become sisters. Pleople who did not understand her mission, hurt her a lot, but she always trusted God. Her favorite words were: "How good is the good God."

God rewarded her by helping her religious congregation to grow. By the time St. Julie died on April 8, 1816, there were already fifteen convents. Today there are many of St. Julie's sisters of Notre Dame all over the world.


5 posted on 04/08/2017 7:10:07 PM PDT by Salvation ("With God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]

To: All

BTTT for Saint Julie Billiart!


6 posted on 04/08/2018 7:12:27 PM PDT by Salvation ("With God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 5 | View Replies]

To: All
Feel free to post additional Catholic information about this saint or any other Catholic saint who might share this feast day.

Religion Moderator's Guidelines to Caucus/Prayer/Ecumenical threads

7 posted on 04/08/2019 8:01:12 PM PDT by Salvation ("With God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 6 | View Replies]

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
Religion
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson